Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars(86)

Just as she was about to start climbing shelves, a voice behind her asked, “Do you need some help with that?”

Val spun around in surprise and came face-to-face with a very impressive chest. Slowly, her eyes traveled up over the wide expanse of shoulders and a square jawline; a jaw that would tempt even the sanest woman to stroke it. When her eyes passed the wide grin to meet amused golden brown eyes, her brain had a severe malfunction.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen Justin Silverton around town since moving back, but it was the first time they’d actually said a word to each other in ten years, not since that night at the high school. And that night they’d done very little talking.

“Valerie? You okay?” Justin asked, that one lone dimple in his left cheek hypnotizing her.

Was she okay? She had been asking herself that question since she’d moved back to town a year ago, holing up like a hermit with only her dog for company. She had tried to avoid her father, the people in town, and any man between the ages of 25 and 45, but she had to come out sometime.

The man in front of her was definitely in the to-be-avoided category. Not only had he made her lose her head ten years ago, but it was because of him that she’d spent her last two years of high school in an all-girls school.

Okay, so it wasn’t actually Justin’s fault her dad hated his guts and had wanted her as far away from him as possible, but still, a man like that was dangerous. She’d been with men, had experienced some crazy nights, but that one night they’d hung out always crept back on her at odd times. She’d been a girl taking her first big rebellious leap, and he’d been on leave from the Marines, just passing the time. The attraction had been instantaneous, like the flick of a lighter, and obviously there was still a spark there or she wouldn’t be standing here like a dummy, speechless.

The concern on his face broke through her dumbstruck daze. “Sorry, Justin, I guess I need coffee this morning.” His gaze shifted to The Local Bean coffee shop cup in her cart and she amended, “More coffee.”

“Gotcha.” He stepped up next to her, and the smell of his cologne was intoxicating. She caught herself before she leaned right in and buried her nose in his chest, but it was a close call.

Why was she acting like a lust-filled Pepé Le Pew?

A few reasons popped into her head, the first being that Justin was grade-A hot male and completely worthy of her drool. Another had to do with the fact that it had been almost two years since she’d slept with anyone. And finally, of all the guys in Rock Canyon, Idaho, Justin had been the only one ever to treat her like more than Mayor Willis’s daughter, or one of “those Willis girls.”

“Is this the one you want?” Justin pulled down the bottle she’d been trying to reach and held it out to her.

Clearing her throat, she took it with a smile, hoping he couldn’t read the crazy on her face. “Thanks. I couldn’t find a bag boy, and I’m too vertically challenged for the high shelf.”

“Not a problem. You got a hot date?” he asked teasingly.

“No!” Realizing she had almost yelled the word, she wanted to smack herself, just haul off and whack her own cheek, but then he’d really think she was nuts. Dates led to relationships, which led to marriage and from there . . . well, she’d already been down that road. “Sorry. No, it’s just for me.”

“That’s a shame.” He tapped the bottle and added, “That’s a nice bottle of wine. It should be shared with someone, especially with how cold it’s been lately.”

It was true. They were having record low temperatures this year, some days not even reaching ten degrees, with nights below zero. If there had been someone in her life, it would have been the perfect plan, but the last thing she wanted was a man.

Even the man standing in front of you?

No, she didn’t want anyone. She was enjoying her uncomplicated life and, thankfully, the more she hibernated, the more her father ignored her. Life was never good when Edward Willis came up with one of his evil public-appearance schemes.

Finally getting her bearings, she smiled. “Maybe I’ll call my sister, then. See if she wants to help me drink it.”

“That wasn’t exactly what I meant—”

“I know what you meant, but I’m not dating.” It came out sharper than she’d intended, but she wasn’t ready. Hell, she didn’t know if she’d ever be ready again.

Justin stared at her like he was trying to Vulcan mind meld with her, and it brought her back to who she’d been before she’d been sent away. Before she’d married Cole and spent four years of her life miserable and lonely. That girl had been wild and reckless, and it was hard not to wonder how things might have been different if only . . .

If only she hadn’t been born Valerie Willis and Justin hadn’t been Fred Silverton’s son.

It was no secret how her father felt. If he hadn’t discovered her missing that night ten years ago and watched by the window, he might never have known who dropped her off. She had no idea what had gone on between their fathers, but seeing her and Justin together was all it had taken for her dad to go off on a full rampage and pack off her to that convent of a school.

She almost snorted out loud. Like that had really kept her out of trouble.

She caught Justin’s expression and felt bad that she’d snapped. It wasn’t his fault she’d made a mess of her life. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that,” Val said, placing the bottle in her cart.